


Pull Your Chin Up and March

by SilverMyfanwy



Series: genderqueer superhero fam [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bisexual Female Character, Bisexual Michelle Jones, Bisexual Natasha Romanov, Bullying, F/F, F/M, Michelle Jones Needs a Hug, Minor Michelle Jones/Peter Parker, Protective Natasha Romanov, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Trans Michelle Jones, Trans Natasha Romanov, Transphobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:35:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22710106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverMyfanwy/pseuds/SilverMyfanwy
Summary: “Pull your chin up and march, baby. Keep your chin up and march and it will get better. Somehow, someday. And don’t ever let them win. If they stop winning, it’ll get better. You just gotta steal their victories from them.”Being trans is hard and MJ's facing the worst of it. Natasha's there to wipe the tears away.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Michelle Jones & Natasha Romanov
Series: genderqueer superhero fam [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711396
Comments: 10
Kudos: 142





	Pull Your Chin Up and March

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Akaihyou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akaihyou/gifts).



> So back in October- eek!- I promised Akaihyou more trans Nat fics. Finally, I have one to deliver!  
> Four more coming at some far-off point in the future.
> 
> Warnings:  
> there's a lot of transphobia in this. Mention of someone being deadnamed, trans people being insulted, mentions of transphobic bullying, mention of violence towards trans people and trans people being murdered.  
> Let me know if I missed anything that I should put either here or in the tags!

“How do you do it?” MJ asked Natasha quietly. They were sitting on a bench in the gym. MJ had an ice pack pressed against her wrist.

(Someone had grabbed it.)

“How do I do what?”

“How do you cope with all the people who say you aren’t a woman? That you’re a… You know. Something else.”

“I educate them. And if they chose not to listen….” Natasha trailed off.

“What?”

Natasha shrugged simply. “Then normally they deserve a punch in the face.”

“I’m not allowed to punch kids at school.”

“Not even in self defense?”

“They don’t get so mad about that.”

“Good.”

-

Natasha was fourteen the first time she punched someone in the face for calling her by her deadname.

The girl screamed and clutched at her face. “What was that for?”

“I told you not to call me that.” Natasha said simply, fists still clenched.

Their trainer walked in and saw the blood. “What happened?”

“She called me a name I told her not to call me.” Natasha said.

“And what name was that?”

Natasha spat it out.

“Come with me.” the trainer said.

Natasha prepared herself for punishment.

The trainer took her into an office and sat her down across the desk from him.

“Why don’t you want to be called that name anymore?”

“It’s a boys’ name.”

“And what do you want to be called instead?”

“Natasha.”

“Is that because it’s a girls’ name?”

“Yes.”

“Are you a girl?”

Natasha was scared this was a trick question but her answer was burning though her and she was worried it might eat her alive if she didn’t let it out. “Yes.”

“Okay.”

-

“How are your family about it all?” Natasha asked quietly.

“They stay out of it, mostly. They get it, but they also _don’t_ get it. You follow?”

Natasha nodded.

“Like, they’re supportive and use the right pronouns and my name and let me wear what I want and take the hormones and stuff but…” MJ sighed. “I guess they think that’s all there is to being trans.”

“But it’s not.”

MJ shook her head. “Can you keep a secret?” she whispered.

Natasha looked at her with one eyebrow raised. “Can _I_ keep a secret?”

“I’m bi.” MJ said quietly. “And I’m worried that if my parents find out, they’re gonna be…” she sobbed and buried her face in Natasha’s chest.

-

Kissing girls when you weren’t on a mission was a lot scarier than when you were, never mind the dates that went with them.

It was the third time she’d been out with Alicia, who had long black hair and a smile that spread from ear to ear. They’d kissed on their second date and now, after their third, Alicia seemed keen to go further.

“Hey, uh, do you wanna go back to my place?” Alicia asked hopefully.

Natasha nodded. “I’d love to. But, uh, there’s something you should probably know first. I, uh, I’m trans, so I haven’t got quite the same parts as you have.”

Alicia’s face darkened. “Oh.”

There was silence.

“So you’re not a real girl.” Alicia said suddenly.

“I am a real girl.” Natasha said firmly, feeling her face growing hot.

“Sounds to me like you’re just doing this to try and get women.” Alicia picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Don’t come near me again, freak, or I’ll report you to the police.” she walked away.

Natasha stared at the table and tried not to cry.

-

“You’ll find someone who doesn’t think like that, if a girlfriend is what you want.” Natasha soothed, praying her words would be true.

“I shouldn’t have to find someone. They should just be there anyway.”

“I know. I know.” Natasha stroked MJ’s hair. “And you will find someone.”

“Have you? A- a girl?”

“I did. Once. Twice. Kind of. There’s a boy now.”

“And is he okay with it?”

“Yes.”

And he was. He was glorious.

“Is there anyone you like?” Natasha asked quietly.

“I think I like him.” MJ sniffed and wiped her nose.

“Is he nice?”

MJ nodded. “He’s really nice.”

“Does he know you’re trans?”

“No.”

“Do you think he might like you?”

“Maybe.”

-

Natasha met Clint on the bombed-out second floor of an office block somewhere in the Southern hemisphere. They were lying on their backs among rubble and ruin, gravel and grit, panting and sweating.

“You’re good with a gun.” he said.

“Thanks. Your face isn’t disagreeable.”

“I just took that guy out from 400 meters and that’s what you’ve got to say?”

Natasha rolled over and kissed him.

-

“Is it gonna get better?” MJ whispered.

Natasha thinks of all the women who’ve been murdered that year. All the others who get hurt, homeless or stuck somewhere they can’t get out of.

She knows she’s supposed to say it gets better.

She knows it’s true for most people, but she knows it’s not true for everyone.

“You know what you’re gonna do?” Natasha says.

“What?”

“Pull your chin up and march, baby. Keep your chin up and march and it will get better. Somehow, someday. And don’t ever let them win. If they stop winning, it’ll get better. You just gotta steal their victories from them.”

“I like winning.” MJ whispered. Natasha chuckles.

“I can’t promise that it’s gonna get easier. That bullying will stop, that every attitude will change. I can promise you that I’m going to do everything that I can to make sure you have a better life than I did and I want you to promise me that you’ll do the same for all the other little trans girls who’re gonna come after you.”

MJ looks Natasha in the eyes and promises with all the power of a genius mixed-race trans kid from New York who’s friends with superheros. MJ looks Natasha in the eyes and promises with all the power of a girl who’s gonna change the world and live to see the difference she makes.

“I will.”


End file.
